Sherri Papini Shasta County Sheriff's Office
A big lie turned into serious legal trouble for this “kidnapped” California woman. Sherri Papini pleaded guilty Tuesday to faking her kidnapping where she blamed two Hispanic women for the job, SacBee reports say.
The married mother of two claimed she was kidnapped and tortured by “two Hispanic women” in 2016. Following her disappearance, her husband alleged she had gone out for a jog near her Shasta County home. He ended up reporting her missing. Finally, on Thanksgiving Day, she was found alone on an interstate highway 140 miles from home three weeks later.
Papini, 34-years-old at the time, told police that two unidentified women had abducted her. Not only that, but she also claimed they kept her chained in a closet. Sherri’s elaborate story of her kidnapping at the hands of the supposed masked assailants, whom she said spoke Spanish, attracted public sympathy. Sympathizers donated large amounts of cash for her “healing” after she claimed to be held at gunpoint. Also, she alleged the two made-up women branded her with a heated tool.
Ultimately, it turns out this was all a lie.
Police arrested Sherri on charges of making false statements to a federal law enforcement officer and engaging in mail fraud on March 3rd, Sacramento Bee reported. Her attorney, William Portanova, confirmed that Papini signed a plea agreement Tuesday morning. She pleaded guilty to lying to a federal officer and mail fraud.
“I am deeply ashamed of myself for my behavior and so sorry for the pain I’ve caused my family, my friends. All the good people who needlessly suffered because of my story and those who worked so hard to try to help me,” Papini said in her statement. “I will work the rest of my life to make amends for what I have done.”
Unlike her original story, Sherri Papini stayed with an ex-boyfriend in Southern California during the three weeks she was reported missing and received over $30,000 in fraudulent victim assistance money based on the hoax, court documents show.
In deep trouble, she faces a maximum sentence of 25 years in prison and up to $500,000 in fines.
The court has yet to determine her sentence. Yikes!
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